All language subtitles for Muster.Dogs.S01E04.1080p.HDTV.H264-CBFM

NARRATOR: As part of
a unique experiment,

five little kelpies
have been sent out

on an epic journey across Australia.

With mustering instincts
bred into their bones,

the pedigree pups have been matched
with highly skilled handlers,

given 12 months to turn them into
true-blue working dogs.

Together, they have faced
a series of challenging assessments,

but now - the big one.

About to hit their first birthday,
our pups' skills will be tested

as they heard a mob of cattle
on their own.

Who will do it best and be crowned
Champion Muster Dog?

And who will shock the group with
a heartbreaking announcement?

FRANK: Puppy, puppy, puppy, puppy!

Lovely dog.

ATICIA: Here.

Hey.

CJ: Good dog. Hey?

(DOG BARKS)

(WHISTLES)

JONI: Good boy!

Good dog!

It's a beautiful morning
at the Douglas-Daly Research Farm

in the Northern Territory.

As an agricultural testing facility,
it's a fitting location

for the final challenge
of the Great Muster Dog experiment.

With the pups all coming
from the same litter,

expert puppy trainers
Neil and wife Helen

feel the experiment's results
will provide fascinating insight

into how the natural instinct
of these dogs is affected

by how they're nurtured and trained.

Steady, steady.

Ah, ah! Stop.

Gossip! Get over! Push him!

Yeah! Whoo-hoo! Good job. Good dog.

Ready?

So, we're here to complete a
12-month experiment with these pups.

It was very interesting to see

that the pups started
at three months of age,

because it shows exposure to
training, livestock and environment

can make an impact and
a good, definite shift on the dogs.

I think this experiment
was important to conduct

so that we could see whether
it was a genetic trait

to do with the breeding
that gives you the best outcome,

or whether it is a training system
that can give you the consistency

of a good outcome.

The milestone assessments
Neil set along the way

were tough but achievable,

and the added layer
of a friendly competition

between participants made it fun.

I think that pushes you along
a lot more.

It gives you the dedication
and the challenge is stronger

if you're working in
with someone else

with a pup out of the same litter.

Here goes nothing.

Over.

In the final assessment,

the dogs have one task -

herding a mob of cattle
through a gate,

following commands along the way,

and probably the toughest challenge
for a young dog -

only working stock when told to.

Spice, to me! Stop. (WHISTLES)

According to Helen,

all of these skills start
with the owner-dog bond.

We're going to require the dogs
to have a really good call

without a lot of effort
from the handler.

One or two calls
is what we're looking for.

ROB: Sit. Sit down.

And we want to see the dogs
bring livestock to the handler

without chaos.

So, looking like the dog

has actually got
the whole situation under control.

Rounding out our expert judging
panel is award-winning dog trainer

and independent breeder Peter Barr.

I breed and train working dogs.

I travel around Australia
teaching people how to work dogs.

I do dog schools myself.

I do contract mustering
and penning up.

Anything with a dog and livestock.

Apart from being
a national dog trial champion...

Steady now. (WHISTLES)

Flash in, Flash.

..Peter has a knack for
spotting dogs

with a gift for working
sheep and cattle.

The right dog that's calm and doing
his job properly and correctly

and in the right places
at the right time,

and then switched off at
the right time and not in the road.

But if your dog gets in there,
just tugs, tugs, tugs

and tries to jam them
out the gate, you're in strife.

ANNOUNCER: That was Peter Barr...

It may be the perfect location

for the Champion Muster Dog
showdown,

but for most of our participants,
it's a long haul to get here.

FRANK: Annie and I were three days
on the journey from Clermont

to the Douglas-Daly.

It was an enjoyable trip.

She spent some of the time
in the front,

some of the time in the back.

NEIL: First one here.
It'll be very, very interesting.

HELEN: Absolutely.

And the dog is on the front.

Oh!

FRANK: Oh, here. Righto.

Queensland grazier Frank
and his best mate, Annie,

are the first to arrive.

This beautiful black and tan kelpie

is here to take on
the final assessment

and say g'day
to some old friends too.

How are you, Frank? It's been
a long time since I've seen you.

Yeah. How was your trip?
Very good, Helen.

Excellent. How did Annie travel?

Oh, well, wherever Annie is...

Oh, you've lost your dog already!
(LAUGHS)

I have me eyes on that dog.

Annie, to me. Look.

Annie, lookie-look. Right here.

Did that happen
with one call, Frank?

No.
No?

Oh!
(LAUGHTER)

Lucky for Frank, the assessment
doesn't start until tomorrow.

Oh, we've got someone else coming.
I wonder who this is going to be.

That is Aticia.

Aticia and Gossip have travelled
by car and plane to get here.

It's rare for five puppies
from the one litter

to see each other again.

FRANK: Look at that.

But this lot are the lucky ones.

And steady. Annie, steady.
Good girl, Annie.

Oh, make sure those two don't fight.

Good girl! Alright, I'm coming
back to you, Frank.

It might start with kissin'
and finish with a near missin'.

(LAUGHS)

Do you think they remember
each other, Tish and Frank?

I would think
there's a connection there.

HELEN: Annie's very keen to
say g'day.

Rob! How you going? Hey!
Look at that.

Our Victorian duo
have travelled the furthest

and are not used to
this Northern Territory heat.

Good to see you again.

Look, Lucifer! Oh, ho.

The dogs.
Look at that.

Having a sniff-off. (LAUGHS)

Wow.

ATICIA: It's a much different
reaction

to what she had to her sister.

I think this sheds a light on
why we work with dogs

and the passion we have
for livestock

and the passion we have
for animal welfare.

That's what it's all about.

You know, we love our livestock
and we want to do the best by them,

and the dogs are a very key
component to that.

Annie, now,
I want you to be sensible.

Your brother's coming out of
that car

and you haven't seen him
since he was a baby,

and he hasn't seen you
since he was a baby,

so I'd be watching.

Joni! G'day, g'day!

JONI: You go and say hello?

Joni and Chet
have squeezed this trip in

in between back-to-back jobs.

ATICIA: Look at that one floppy ear.

He's a little fella compared to...
Yes, Annie, look at that.

That's your little brother.

JONI: You wanna tell some secrets?
ROB: Secrets. (LAUGHS)

So, Chet and I have travelled...
I think it's 1,700km to get here,

but it's totally worth it, you know,

so people see what we do

and how important dogs and their
role in our lives actually are.

CJ and the green-collared Spice

have had the shortest trip today

and are the last to arrive.

I live in the Douglas-Daly district,

and there is a whole new level
of a dog out here.

A very smart dog.

And I'm really keen
to see what she...

..you know, she can show me
in the future.

Wow! Look at them all!

(CROSSTALK AS EVERYONE SAYS HELLO)

I would have to say my favourite
part in the last 12 months

would definitely be meeting
the other participants and...

How are you going?

..seeing the bond
between their pups as well.

(LAUGHTER)
Wow!

JONI: She's a pretty little thing.

Spice and her siblings

were bred by renowned
Victorian dog breeder Joe Spicer.

And look at you go.

The brothers and sisters
may have been inseparable

for the first 12 weeks
of their lives,

but a lot has happened since then.

CJ: Excuse me.
(ROB LAUGHS)

ATICIA: It was really cool
seeing all the litter together.

They've all got, like, lovely
personalities coming through.

Still very happy with Gossip,
but I love Chet.

He's just got such a friendly,
kind face.

Annie's beautiful.
She's like a regal queen.

And Spice is gorgeous. I just think
she's got a lot of fun in her.

And so's Lucifer.

I actually think he's...
he's kind of cool,

in his own sort of bad boy way.

(BARKS)

It's a beautiful moment, for sure,

but family reunions
can be a little tricky.

HELEN: Ears are back.

Children, children.
Ooh!

Yeah, that's the family Christmas.

CJ: Go and hide, didn't you? Yeah.

(GROWLS)
ATICIA: Goss. That's enough.

HELEN: Is that Gossip Girl growling?
It is.

She hasn't actually done that
to a dog before,

so it's really interesting that it's
happening now with her sister.

Yeah, absolutely.

I think they copy their owners,
and Frank's is nice and calm.

Thanks, Neil.
That's fine.

Yours must bark a lot.
(LAUGHTER)

NEIL: Righto. Well, that was
a great introduction.

They've all come together
with a fair bit of harmony.

Over the next couple of days,
or especially tomorrow,

we've got exercises where the dogs
are going to be put to the test.

I think the dogs
will handle it well.

The pressure might
get to the owners.

(LAUGHTER)

No pressure.

Righto, well, let's get them
fed and watered

and, yeah, see what we've got
planned for later on.

Righto.

The final cattle muster assessment
is in the morning,

but the rest of today
is about celebration.

It's the pups' first birthday today,

and after a long year of solid
training and work, it's party time.

(WHISTLES)

FRANK: The birthday party
is just absolutely brilliant

and I think Annie,
she has been spoilt.

I've never really spoiled a dog
as much as that before,

but I think at my age,
if I can't afford to spoil one,

there's something wrong.

And what's a party
without a surprise?

(LAUGHTER)

That's it. Exactly.

Hey.
Hey!

What the hell, old mate?
You made it up here.

Yeah.
Good skills.

Oh, look at you!

Spicy! How you doing?

So, when Pete and Neil and Helen
let me know

that I was going to actually
be a part of this party,

it was awesome just to see
all the dogs that I've bred

from one litter for a range of
different handlers

has been amazing.

It's great to meet you.
How are you, mate?

Thank you.

This little lady with Joe is Trunk.

Rightio. So, this is little Trunk.

(LAUGHTER, CHATTER)

She's from the same litter
as our other puppies

and has secretly
been part of the experiment.

Rightio, so here we've got
a feisty little red and tan girl.

Trunk - she's effectively the
control dog for this whole project,

where she hadn't received
the same amount of handling

as the other pups,
so she's a little bit behind them.

Hey? I'll swap you, Rob.

Although he kept little Trunk
as his own,

Joe farewelled the rest
of the litter nearly a year ago.

What are you doing?

I think he remembers you.
Oh, I think he does.

He was the first human
they ever had contact with,

and they all remember his voice,
his smell

and the love and dedication
he showed them.

Seeing this litter of dogs
after 12 months

and not seeing them since they were
little pups was really exciting

and it was really satisfying
to see how much each person

had put the time into that dog
and bonded with that dog.

And as a breeder,
nothing is more satisfying.

Goss-Goss!

Hey, Gossip.

Oh, you've been socialised,
haven't you, sweet dog?

Yeah, we love chins, don't we?

The reason why we breed dogs

is to see them thriving
in a new environment...

..and bringing joy
and helping their owners.

Yeah, two Spicys, hey?

Hey?

It's not often that a breeder
gets to see their puppies grow up

to find them happy,
thriving and working.

Yeah, I've got plenty of instinct.
There's no doubt about that, hey?

Of course, it wouldn't be a birthday
without cake.

Or, in this case, frosted carob
powder and doggie yoghurt.

Sounds good, right?

(BARKS)
Oi!

Oh, it's called sharing, Lucifer.

I think some of our pups

have forgotten their communal
feeding manners.

JONI: Oh, look at youse two sharing.

Oh, Lucifer's got the whole cake
in his... (LAUGHS)

Alright, we're back, we're back.

He's got his cake, yeah.
(LAUGHTER)

Trunk.

(LAUGHTER)
Look at you go.

Not that hard.
You scared her away!

Mother Nature has decided to deliver
near perfect conditions

for today's final assessment.

Each of our eager pups needs to herd
a mob of cattle solo,

showing the following skills:

Neil and his working dog Sprightly

are giving a demo of
what's expected.

Sprightly, Sprightly. Go way back.

Go way back.

The dogs should circle the mob,
push them back to the handler...

Get a hold of him. Get over.
Sprightly. Get him.

Now get over.

..and onward through a small gate.

Sprightly, sit down.

Sit down there. Sit down.

They've got to be able to bring
a small mob of cattle

and put them through the gate.

Maybe turn around
and take them back through.

Sprightly, to me.

You need to be able to walk
through a yard with livestock

and the dog not take off
unless instructed by the handler.

That's going to be
a big test for these dogs.

And how many takes
do we get at this?

Just the one.
(LAUGHTER)

Harsh.

In the previous assessments,

our puppies were allowed
to have multiple attempts at a task.

In today's assessment, the judges
are looking for confidence,

reliability and precision,

so the dogs must follow commands
on the first call to pass the task.

This is not going to be easy
for some of our dogs.

A little bit nervous about
the 12-month milestone.

I don't know that Gossip and I
are necessarily ready for it,

but we've done our best.

I just don't know
that she's there yet.

Goss, be excited!
(LAUGHTER)

Goss! (LAUGHS)

Yeah, she's...she's thrilled.

(LAUGHTER)

OK, well, you've gotta have faith
in yourselves

and have a lot of fun with it.

Make the most of it.

Been working on it
for 12 months now,

so this is your time to shine,
so good luck and enjoy it.

I don't know what the stock
are gonna be like here,

what the situation's gonna be like.

Stock can react different
to different dogs,

but it'll be very interesting to see
who does what and how they go on.

Yeah, good luck to them all.

So Trunk and Joe
are going to be our control,

so it will be really exciting

to see what the end result
is going to be for Joe.

Won't be good. (LAUGHS)

They have not been part of
this training program

and have not
been through the procedures.

Unlike her brothers and sisters,

Trunk has had minimal training
and exposure to working stock.

She'll be our baseline kelpie -

an example of natural working dog
instincts compared to the others.

I hadn't made a real effort
with Trunk, so I'm very worried,

but I just had to take her
at her pace.

Now, let's see who gets
the first turn.

Rob with Lucifer.

I think he'll be excited about that.

Our first Champion Muster Dog
challengers are the rebels -

Rob and his dog, Lucifer.

But Rob doesn't seem too concerned
about being first cab off the rank.

I haven't read the assessment.
(LAUGHS)

Not particularly worried
about anything.

If I'd read the assessment,
I might be concerned,

but yeah, I haven't read it.

Righto, Rob, it's your turn.
Away you go. Best of luck.

Good luck in the first round.
Lucifer's ready.

Keen!

Luce, Luce, Luce.

These two haven't exactly
had the most harmonious

12 months together.

Lucie. Luce.

But Lucifer has been a bright spark
right from the start.

JOE: We've got the little
blue-collared fella.

I'm not sure how bright he is.
We'll wait and see.

But he's outgoing,
he's got a great nature.

Good puppy! What a good puppy!

Yeah, we call him Lucifer

because he's the little devil
on the shoulder.

Look, if there's something bad to do
and something good to do,

he's going to do the bad.

Stop there. Stop. Luce! Hey.

Yeah, he's very mischievous.

But you want a bit of that.
You want a bit of rebel in 'em.

Luce! Buddy! Good work.

Over.

There's glimpses
of really good work in him.

Hopefully, I don't wreck him
in going forward.

That natural instinct stays there.

Rob allows Lucifer
to do naughty things,

and I think if Rob took it
just a little bit more seriously,

focused a bit more on the bad
attitude and just put a lid on it...

I'm gonna need a new one.

..he would actually get a lot
more out of his dog in general.

How do we think this is going to go?

Yeah, I'd say he's pretty keen
to come back here.

(LAUGHTER)

(BARKS)
Back.

Loving it! He's loving them.

Good dog, good dog. Watch him.
Get over.

Lucifer has been trained on sheep,

but herding cattle
seems to be working for him.

Do something useful. Good boy.

Despite his rough and ready
technique...

That'll do. Good boy.

NEIL: Well, Lucifer hasn't worked
cattle much.

Stop, stop.

And he does go out and do some crazy
non-self-preservation things,

like running under a beast
where there's absolutely no need,

but fortunately,
he come out unscathed.

Stop there.

Good dog.

FRANK: Rob and Lucifer
are doing wonders,

and Lucifer is on to cattle.

He's more suited to cattle
than sheep.

So now that he's seen cattle,
he'll be away.

Stop, stop, stop!

Stop there. Stop there, buddy.

Over.

Despite expectations,

Lucifer's having a cracker of a run
through the assessment,

blocking, herding and
pushing the mob back to Rob

as fast as his stocky
little legs can carry him.

Rob and Lucifer, I quite enjoyed
watching them,

because I love to see this dog
who's been working sheep

grow to another level on cattle.

You could see that dog
really loving his job.

Good dog.

His obedience is still
a work in progress...

Stop there! Stop, stop, stop.

..and he's a bit rough with
the stock at times,

but his natural talent
is undeniable.

He's brave. I'll give him that.

They've spat him out the back end

and he gets up and wants
more of the action.

Yeah, he's a slow learner.

You're a very good boy, mate.

It's certainly not a textbook
performance...

Luce!

..but he's actually done
a really good job.

NEIL: Well, Lucifer's run with Rob

was probably better
than we all expected.

I guess the dog has got
a bit of cowboy in him,

he's a bit out there,

and I think Rob gets off on
the sport of having the wild card.

I think he wanted Lucifer
to be the clown of the show,

but in actual fact, he went alright.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Well, that's a lot better
than he's been performing,

that's for sure.

I thought he was good.

It's a huge step in the right
direction for this loveable rogue,

and an indication of the champion
he could become,

given the right circumstances
and a lot more training.

Good boy.
(LAUGHTER)

Lucifer's performance
was way better than I expected.

Like, every time I take him out on
a bigger mob,

he gets better and better.

He's nailed it.
Absolutely nailed it.

Yeah, amazing.

Like, he really needs a large mob of
cattle and just be worked, I think.

That's what this dog needs.

To go somewhere
and deal with cattle.

Over to you, Joni.
See how you go. Good luck.

Here we go.

The most experienced dog handler
in the group,

Joni and her goofy but loveable dog,
Chet, are next.

You can do this, Joni.
We got this.

Good luck, Joni.
Good luck!

I'm feeling pretty good
about the 12-month assessment.

Sit. Drop.

But always that nervous thing
when cameras are rolling

and everything like that -
that's gonna go wrong.

JOE: Hello. Look at you.

Look at him, hey? Beautiful.

When I first got Chet, he was...
he was rough, you know?

Like, he was biting me,
he was scratching me.

Sit! Sit!

Chet, sit!

He didn't want to do
any of them rules,

so it's taken a fair bit to pull
Chet back into line, just quietly.

Good boy.

He's not classy at all
in anything he does. He's goofy.

'Cause he just doesn't think about
what he's going to do.

Like, he just does it
and then he goes, "Ow, that hurt."

Ready?

He doesn't think
the rules apply to him.

Stays up late.

(BARKS)

Parties on.

Sleeps all day.

He's cool.

Yeah, I like that he doesn't
do anything with style.

(CHUCKLES)

Stop.

Sit. Sit.

I think Joni's got a plan
in place here.

I think the handler
that's had perhaps

the most exposure to real work

might be the one that becomes
most successful today.

Way back. (WHISTLES)

And Joni incorporating Chet into
her A team at a very young age...

Push, push, push.

..she's been amazing in the way
she's done that.

Push, push, push, push.

Just three months ago,

Chet's confidence was badly shaken
by injury,

and he seemed uncertain of himself.

Has Joni been able
to get him back on track?

Righto. Sit, sit.

So far so good.

Joni is instructing Chet to gently
push the herd towards her,

and he's doing so with a skill
well beyond his age,

carefully manipulating them
with calm but firm control.

Over.

ROB: Yeah, I think Joni's got it.

If that dog's going to work
at 12 months old,

she's absolutely nailed it.

Like, him and Joni
are the two, yeah, superstars.

Like, she's...she's on fire. Yeah.

Here, Chet. Here to me.

Get on. Here, Chet.

Calling him from the other
side of the mob. That's pretty good.

I'd take that.

I think Chet and Joni
are going fantastic.

It's great to see a pup
in Joni's hands

because she's such a good
dog trainer,

though she won't admit that.

And she's got a good sit.
He's sitting down nice.

Staying there.

If everyone in Australia
had a dog like Chet,

well, the livestock world
would be a better place.

That dog is very capable.

He's probably ahead of himself
in time,

and he will only get better
with experience.

Demonstrating a perfect hold
of the cattle,

Chet is able to slow
the herd's movement for Joni,

preventing them from running wildly
into the paddock...

Righto, Chet. Here.
Come here to me.

..and proving himself
as a legitimate front runner

for the experiment's
Champion Muster Dog.

Good boy.

I feel pretty good
with Chet's 12-month assessment.

He's definitely up there.

He's definitely showing
a lot more confidence.

Good boy.

Champion, Joni.

Champion dog, you mean.

It's a dream result.

Joni's a gifted dog trainer,

and despite a busy year
and a rough few months,

Chet has excelled at every task.

Yeah, I thought he did
pretty good, really.

I didn't put him under
too much pressure, so...

Yeah, I thought he did everything
he needed to do.

Next, a team that's had
a lot to say -

Aticia and her dog, Gossip.

With me. Good girl.

Aticia's property has been
de-stocked with the drought,

so Gossip's been trained mostly
on goats, but she's raring to go.

Good girl.

Over the past year,

this black and tan little kelpie
has been full of bounce...

(WHIMPERS)
Pup, pup, pup, pup.

..and a lot of noise.

(BARKS)

She gets an orange collar.

Oh, look at that. That's beautiful.

(LAUGHS) Hey.

Eager to work and quick to bark,

Gossip's vocal talents
were instrumental

in Aticia's naming process.

She had a lot to say for herself
when I first got her.

Very yappy.

So Gossip seemed to suit
and it still suits her now.

She's a quirky little pup.

She keeps life interesting.

We've had probably two weeks
of working cattle recently,

leading up to this.

She was fantastic.

Every day she just improved,
and I know she's got the goods.

The smarts are there.

I think you're pretty clever.

Good girl.

Gossip is eager to get to work...

..but is hesitant to go around
the back of the cattle.

Back, back, back, back.

Oh, she hasn't quite gone
all the way around.

This is why she failed the 50-metre
cast at the last assessment.

Can Aticia get Gossip
into the right position today?

Aticia with Gossip,
she's done as much as she can,

but probably not as much as
she would've liked to, apparently.

So it'll be interesting
to see how it goes.

Goss, Goss, Goss.

(WHISTLES) Gossip. Goss.
Goss. Come here.

To effectively shepherd them
around the yard,

a good muster dog
needs to fully commit to the stock.

Watch him there. Watch him there.
Get him.

(BARKS)
Go through.

Gossip is struggling
on that front...

Right back. Back. Watching.

..but with some coaching from
Aticia, eventually gets them moving.

Get through the gate.

Thank you.

Well, Aticia and Gossip,

they had a little bit of
a higgledy-piggledy run

where the dog
was a little bit confused.

It wouldn't run through the grass,

'cause she's come out
of drought areas.

Probably dog's never seen
grass before.

Right. Right back.

12-month assessment would have gone
about how I expected.

So I was putting more pressure
on Gossip,

instead of just letting her go
and trusting her to do the job,

and that just took
her confidence away.

But I've only been
doing this for eight years,

so I know I've still got
so much to learn,

and the opportunity,
yeah, it's been fantastic.

Despite the slow start, Gossip
still managed to get the job done

and earn enough ticks to pass
the 12-month assessment.

(WHISTLES) Gossip. Goss! Goss!
Come here.

Go through.

There we go. Beautiful.

It's amazing how that dog has learnt
over three minutes of work.

Goss, to me. Good dog!

She's good. I really like her.

Handicapped a little bit by me,
but she's really good. (LAUGHS)

Good girl.

Three out of three dogs
have passed the assessment so far.

Now it's time for the duo
with the hometown advantage

to step up to the plate -

CJ and her dog, Spice.

Ah, ah, ah. Get behind.
Spice, to me.

Spice, to me. Spice.

Spice, to me.

Sit.

Aww!
Aww!

Hello, gorgeous.

Oh, you're a little girl, hey?

This is Spice.
(BARKS)

She was just this bundle of fun,

and I wasn't sure if I was
going to be able to settle her.

Oh, you're full of life.

She's...she's a nice
little red kelpie,

so yeah, she's...she's definitely
the spice of life.

Righto. Get behind.

When she sees stock, she switches
on and she just starts to creep.

What are you looking at?

Oh, sneaking, are we?

But with cattle,

I've always had to have other dogs
there, just to build confidence.

Nice and cool now?
Wish I could go for a swim.

Our family's adjusted well
with Spice around.

She's become a part of our team.

So, yeah,
she's just fitting in well.

You a good puppy?

Stay.

Sit.

Spice's assessment
is off to a bumpy start,

thanks to a couple of thirsty cows.

Spice, back. Go back.

A few stray head have been pinned
behind a paddock water trough

and it's causing all kinds
of drama for these two.

Spice.

CJ and Spice are just struggling
to complete their task.

They've got caught being on...
on the edge of the mob

and not going completely around,
which makes it really difficult.

Go back. Back. (SIGHS)

Spice.

I did have trouble in the beginning
because I kept sending her back,

not knowing that they couldn't get
through the fence and the trough.

CJ has no choice but to
go around the back of the mob

and help Spice
push them through the gate.

Back.
But this just adds to the confusion.

I started frustrating her,

but I had to just adapt
to the situation

and do something
that I never, ever wanted to do,

which was drove cattle.

Because CJ and Spice
are now both at the back,

there's no-one at the front
blocking.

The pair are no longer in control
of the cattle,

and with an open field
ahead of them, the mob are off.

Send, send, send your dog. Quickly.
Go over.

Quick, quick, quick.
Before the cattle get away too fast.

Over. Sit. (WHISTLES)

(WHISTLES) Sit.

Send her, send her, send her.

Over. Get over.

That's a fail.

There was just a little bit of
confusion there,

and the dog was struggling
a little bit.

Over!

Get over.

Get over.

Ugh!

(WHISTLES) Come!

Get him. Get him.

Spice, to me.

Eventually, the muster
is brought back on track

and the mob are taken
back through the gate,

because CJ and Spice
have found their rhythm.

Well, it could have gone better.
(LAUGHS)

Spice, to me!

But I've really enjoyed
the challenge

that this pup has given me.

It's...it's grown me,
whether I've succeeded or not.

It wasn't the run CJ had hoped for,

but the judges have given Spice
two ticks,

and that's enough for a pass.

It was messy, yes,
but we got the job done

and I was really happy
with her in the end,

because I think the way
we put the cattle

back into the paddock was a win.

Last of the experiment's
participants -

the quiet achievers,
Frank and Annie.

OK, now we have Frankie.
Are you ready?

Certainly am.

JONI: Good luck, Frank.

Thanks, Joni.

This pair have possibly
the strongest bond

out of any team in the group.

But does Annie have the skills
to back it up?

Just sit. Sit down.

Sit. Sit.

Annie, she's just that settled dog
that sits back, observes everything.

And from what I know of Frank,

he's very much the same
sort of personality

and I thought they would just click.

Lovely pup.

Oh, I think you might get
a bit spoilt!

It's been very rewarding
having Annie.

I carted her everywhere I went.

Oh, yeah.

Annie is a lovely, lovely dog.

And just got to really bond
with her,

and then she's come out of her shell

and then she's been going good,
really good.

Sit.

Annie's gonna set the bar very high.

Watchy, watchy, watch. (WHISTLES)

He's like the Pied Piper.
He is the Pied Piper.

Watchy watch. Lovely dog. Sit, sit.

We're really excited
to see Frank do well

because of the fact that
he's been such a huge supporter

of this whole game.

Watchy, watchy, watch.

With a smooth, fluid movement,

the pair work together
to round up the cattle

and quickly get them moving
toward the gate.

Annie is respectful of the herd,

yet capable of applying pressure
if they get out of line.

He's got her sitting there.

Frank's connection with Annie
is total.

Annie, back. Annie, stop. Sit.

She hangs on his every word,

sitting and gently nudging the stock
along at his command.

Very good.
Oh, nice.

He's got nice control. Beautiful.

What we saw with Frank and Annie's
run was very, very, very orderly.

Tidy. Really done his homework.

Lovely dog. Watchy watch.

Ah, ah.

Over. Watchy watch.

She glided around the mob,
more than just running around,

and she tucked in a little further
than the other dogs.

So right from the start,

the cattle knew that they couldn't
do any escaping rogue-type tricks

'cause she was on the money.

Over. Annie. Annie, stop.

Annie, come and sit there.

Oh.
Nice sit.

Annie, back and sit there. Sit, sit.

ATICIA: Frank and Annie,
I love watching those two together.

I think they're a match
made in heaven.

They remind me of each other.

They are very calm, very mature,
very sensible,

and I think Joe
paired them up perfectly.

It's an impressive display
of mustering

from the two Queenslanders,

positioning themselves at
the front and rear of the mob,

so they're able to steer the herd
in a controlled manner.

I think the 12-month assessment
went really well.

I think Annie was brilliant

and, yeah, I think Annie
was up to the task

of being as good
as the other dogs, yes.

Annie, up.

Oh, look at that.

Very well done.
(CHEERING)

12 months work just for that, Frank.

That was very nice. Good work.

It's a very tidy result for
Annie and Frank,

with little fuss and a lot of style.

They breezed through
today's assessment.

Yeah, so far as the assessments go,
I look forward to them

and that made me get into gear
and make sure I had her ready.

Annie, up.

(CHEERING)

Nice!

And that would keep me on my toes.

But, yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

So now we have Joe Spicer,
the breeder.

Oh, watch out.

He has come all the way up
to have a go,

so let's see how he performs

with his little pup
that he's been working on.

So has he picked the best one out,

or has he let everybody else
have the best one?

(LAUGHTER)

This is the first time
she's been on an aeroplane,

the first time she's been in
the Northern Territory,

and the first time
she's seen cattle.

(LAUGHTER)

Good luck, Joe. Go get 'em.

Rightio.

Trunk may be from the same litter
as her brothers and sisters,

but over the past year hasn't
had the same level of training.

It means she can act as
the experiment's control dog

to see how much natural instinct
plays in herding ability.

Good girl.

Good girl.

Joe does have a solid bond
with Trunk,

who listens to his commands,

keeping her safe as she's introduced
to cattle for the first time.

And, of course, Joe is one
of the best dog trainers

in the business.

Joe's pup actually hasn't
been through this training program,

so it'll be interesting to see
whether it's going to be an instinct

that gets Trunk to perform and
do these elements of the training.

Even though it's her first
introduction to them,

Trunk's clearly not afraid
of the cattle.

But for a novice like her,
that's not always a good thing.

Now, this dog, is... Just did
something absolutely out there.

That was out there.

Trunk got a bit close
to that bull...

..so Joe needs to check she's OK.

Reassured by Joe's presence,

Trunk returns and
begins to go around the cattle,

bringing them to Joe.

Trunk, Trunk, Trunk.
Trunk, Trunk, Trunk.

Trunk, Trunk, Trunk.

Trunk, Trunk, Trunk. Good girl.

This herding instinct to block,
round up

and shepherd the stock to her alpha
is in Trunk's DNA.

Good girl. (WHISTLES)

Good girl.

He's got some good flow in his
cattle coming through the gate.

Yeah.

The raw talent of this dog
is a delight to watch,

but it's clear that not following
the training program

has drastically impacted
Trunk's skill level.

Trunk is a quality dog,

but it's Joe's expertise as a
trainer that's keeping her on task.

She's not consistently and reliably
responding to commands

like the other dogs.

Yeah, there's more work to
be done there. That is for sure.

Trunk is eager to please
and excited to work,

but she's all over the place.

Good girl.

Joe makes sure he protects Trunk

from getting herself
into too much trouble.

(CALLS TO DOG)

(WHISTLES)

Ahh! Ahh!

Ahh!

PETE: See how every time that dog
goes to cut across,

he's putting that pressure on
with his body or his voice,

and that's enough to just pull it up

so it doesn't want to cross him
and beat him.

Yeah.

It's been awesome just to be a part
of this...this whole experiment.

This whole project has helped me
in my journey.

You know, just reinforcing that.

So it's been fantastic.

She's certainly got a lot to learn,
but with the basics down,

the sky's the limit for Trunk.

Good girl. Good girl.

Trunk was not part of
the training program,

so it's not surprising
she failed in this task.

But with time and training,

she'll eventually catch up
to her siblings.

(CHEERING, APPLAUSE)

Neil feels his experiment
has worked.

Consistent training can bring
a quality working dog

through the program
faster and safer.

So, the amount of exposure
to training, livestock,

all the things that had happened
in their home environment

was the reason
there was a big variation today.

It doesn't have to take
three years to train a muster dog.

10 minutes of quality time a day,

following a program with clear
milestones, makes a huge difference.

And as far as Peter is concerned,
all the dogs he saw today

have the ability
to work with cattle.

All of them dogs can go on
to be really good in the future.

It's just what people want to
put into them

to continue on in their life
is what they'll get out of them.

Yeah.

It's the final day in the Territory
for most of our participants.

Put all the dogs together.
They'll have fun.

All five puppies have passed
their final muster dog assessment,

some doing better than others,

but all performing
well beyond their age.

But there's still
one last thing to announce.

Well, we've come to the conclusion
of a 12-month experiment

and what a fantastic experience
to witness five pups from one litter

all achieve
these 12-month milestones.

Hopefully.

(LAUGHTER)

We've never had this sort
of opportunity

to have a look at a litter
across the board,

going to all different states,

different sort of stock,
different stock people,

and we've ended up with
a great litter of dogs.

All now are going to be
fantastic workers

and companions
for the next 10 years.

And I'm sure that's only going to
improve more and more,

so well done.

Well said.

All these dogs clearly
have been champions.

The handlers have put in fantastic
effort and have really done well.

But we do have a stand-out pup here.

And...

..it happens to be...

..Princess Annie and Frank.

(CHEERING)

The judges agree that Frank
and Annie are at the next level

because of the deep bond they share,

and because Frank was disciplined
in following the training program.

He also didn't have
the environmental

and time pressures
the other participants faced,

meaning he could devote himself
110% to Annie.

(LAUGHTER)

ATICIA: I'm glad Frank won.
I think he deserves it.

He's put a lot of his heart and soul
into that dog, and it shows.

ROB: That was just
a fantastic outcome.

Frank's such a good guy.
Loves his dog.

Yeah, and she's a ripper.

Annie has the best manners.

She has the best connection.

Her work style
is absolutely beautiful.

She is smooth and glides
around livestock,

and she's a happy dog.

So well done to you, Frank.

You've done an amazing amount
toward the livestock industry

and truly,
you're a deserving winner,

so well done.

Well done, Frank. Well said.

Good job.

FRANK: I'm very proud
of Annie's success.

I was both honoured and humbled

to be told that,
that Annie had excelled,

and I think she deserves
her place in that.

She's worked hard

and I think she's quite proud
of herself too.

But also, I think she was
very excited

to meet her brothers and sisters,

and I think the whole team
have been successful.

So, Frank, as a special treat
for all of us,

we'd like you to have Annie and work
a larger mob in the paddock

for us all to witness.

(CHEERING)

HELEN: Gonna be up to it?

So, firstly, to the judges,
thank you very muchly for that,

and for your confidence in me
and the nice words you've said.

I'm in this to promote the industry.

But as for going and working
that mob of cattle on my own,

no, I decline that
because to better the industry,

it's gotta to be total inclusion.

So the only way I'll do that,

is if you fellas will agree
to join me.

Well done.

We'll support you.

We got your back, Frank.

This is why I went into it,

was to work with other
like-minded people,

and I've done that and
it's been absolutely brilliant.

Would do it again any time.

Righto, let's go. We're on.

(CHEERING)

Let's go.
Let's see it!

Frank's insistence on including
everyone in the final muster

is a fitting end to the experiment.

For all of these graziers,

it's been about promoting
the benefit

of working the land with dogs
rather than machines.

This last 12 months, it's definitely
challenged me, but I...

..I've loved...I've loved it.

I've loved everything that I've
learnt along the way, because...

Get over. Go back!

..I've grown to the next level
with this pup.

Go out wide.

They're not used to
working together,

but the siblings are doing well.

That was a good block.

ROB: Yeah, that was fantastic.

We kept the mob together, got
it moving and all stayed together

and worked as a team.

Yeah, can't... Doesn't get
any better than that.

That's what it's all about.

It is sad, I suppose, too,
that it's over,

because it's been a great connection
point for all of us trainers.

Good dogs.

But at the same time,
I feel like the next 12 months

is really going to be interesting
for these dogs.

So, yeah, I'm excited to see
the dogs keep that going

outside of this.

And steady, Annie. Steady.

And it's appropriate that the alpha
leading the way is Frank.

I think for the industry,
this has been brilliant.

It should showcase what can be done

and how quickly you can train
a little pup up

into a very valuable asset
on your property.

There you go. Good job. Good dogs.

JONI: Good girl, Annie!

Good dogs.

Good dogs.

They got 'em!

Good dog.

This last 12 months,

it's been a really
kind of fun experience, really.

We got 'em! We got 'em, Frankie.

Yeah, it's a happy...happy story.

Yeah, it's been...
it's been a lot of fun.

Our five puppies
have done their trainers proud

and deserve a rest
before the long journey home.

But first, it's time for goodbyes

and an emotional confession
that shocks the group.

Well, that was fun.

It certainly was.
Oh, yeah.

Not quite where I thought
that was gonna go. (LAUGHS)

We got back with some cattle.
That's the main thing.

We couldn't do much more than that,
and I think everyone went well.

So thank you very much
for participating with me.

And you've got some dogs
that are worn out,

so well done, Frank.

Yeah, you must be pretty proud
of Annie.

Did a good job.
I am, yeah.

(LAUGHTER)

Um, so I've got something
I'd like to say.

Oh, yeah?
(LAUGHS)

My journey is finished
with this dog.

I decided six months ago
that...that was it for him.

I wasn't going to keep him.

But yeah, he's not right for me,
not right for my stock.

Um...

So, yeah, I'd like to give him
to someone in this group

if they're prepared to take him on,

because there's...cattle work.

I think he... I think in the right
hands, with cattle work,

he could possibly excel.

Definitely.
Yeah.

Yeah, if anyone
would like to take him,

I'm happy to hand him over
to go to a good home.

Lucifer won't fit in my team,

because he's not a nice dog
on the livestock.

And I knew
from pretty much when he started

working solidly on...on the sheep

that that was...that he was just
not going to cut it for me.

But I like him.

He's fun to have around.

He's got character.

But yeah, the dog deserves better.

Rob, do you want him to take
a place at Hillview?

Oh, I'd be honoured if you took him.

I'd love to take him,
if I...if I could.

I don't want to hog the show,
but I just love that dog.

And if you think he could do well
at Hillview, I could take him,

and when you come up next,
we'll showcase him for you.

That would be fantastic.

My whole purpose is to look
after the welfare of my sheep,

and...and that would be
exact opposite

to what my ethos is about
with this dog.

Yeah, it was obvious,
the way he was treating the stock.

He was too pushy.
He wanted to bite them all the time.

The difficulty was that
I hung onto him once I knew,

and knowing that
I'm not going to keep him

means I probably haven't formed
the bond that I would

if he was gonna make it
into my A team.

In his heart, Rob knows
this is the right thing to do.

But it's a difficult and painful
decision...

..to say goodbye to his friend.

Hey, buddy, you're going
to a really good home.

Hey. Come on.

Lucifer! Oh, what a lovely dog.

Thank you, Rob.
Thank you so, so much.

Annie, look,
there's your fantastic brother

coming to live with us.

Awesome. Thank you very muchly.

Lovely dog.

Oh, there's a very special bond
with Lucie and I. Yes, yes.

And he will fit into the team
and just be a great dog.

I can see that happening.

Are you going to give yours
to Rob now?

No. No, I couldn't take Annie off...

But, you know, I mean,
I could look after her for you.

In reality, I should,

because Annie would probably
suit Rob good on sheep,

where this fella
would suit me on cattle,

but...I can't do that.

No. I wouldn't take her.

Can't part with her.

Yeah.

But down the track,
I could breed you something

and personally
bring it down for you.

That would be fantastic.
Thanks, Frank.

Frank's such a perfect fit
and Lucifer's absolutely...

That's where he wants to be. Yeah.

Lovely dog.

Frank treats them the same way
he treats his family too.

He's a very caring person.

He loves his animals.

And, yeah, it just shines
through with that dog.

And this brother and sister

look set to become
great working mates.

(LAUGHTER, CHATTER)

See ya, Rob. Well done, mate.
Good shot.

Thank you.

It's been a fabulous experience
all round...

(LAUGHTER)

Yeah, we all want a hug, mate.
Come here.

(LAUGHTER)

..showcasing how efficient
and joyful

mustering stock with dogs can be.

So long as you use the right dogs
with the right training.

All dogs stay.

(WHISTLES)
(BARKS)

It's not surprising to see Annie and
Lucifer thriving at Hillview

under Frank's enthusiastic handling.

Watchy, watchy.

Watchy, watchy. Now all dogs stop!

Watching these champion muster dogs
work...

Lovely dog. Hmm?

..is just magic.

Oh!

Lovely dogs with me.

Captions by Red Bee Media

Copyright
Australian Broadcasting Corporation